Mark Pope and the Kentucky staff have whiffed on another five-star 2026 recruit

Mark Pope still does not have a recruit in the 2026 class.

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope reacts during the first half of a NCAA mens basketball game at Steven C. O'Connell Center Exactek arena in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, February 14, 2026. [Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun] | Alan Youngblood/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mark Pope and the Kentucky coaching staff have been trying for months now to land some recruits in the 2026 class and just haven’t been able to get it done. There have been many different players that it felt like the Wildcats were in a really good spot for, and they chose another school. Well, that just happened again as five-star Christian Collins announced that he will be playing his college hoops at USC.

Collins, at one time, was considered a Kentucky lock, but weeks went on, and he still hadn’t committed. Then rumors were floating around that JMI was holding the Wildcats back from landing Collins, as he didn’t like the structure of the deal he had to sign. Regardless of all that, the elite five-star will be heading out to the West Coast to play his college hoops for the USC Trojans.

Mar 13, 2026; Nashville, TN, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope yells to his team against the Florida Gators during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Now it is March, and the Wildcats do not have any hope of landing a player in this class unless Pope pulls out a miracle and lands the #1 recruit Tyran Stokes, or the Wildcats take a shot on a player lower in the recruiting rankings.

The members of Big Blue Nation who don’t seem to believe Pope is the right coach for the job have a big argument when it comes to recruiting. Obviously, Coach Pope has had some things not go his way when it comes to keeping players healthy, so some are giving him the benefit of the doubt for this, but the recruiting has every member of BBN scratching their head.

Obviously, fans knew that with John Calipari gone, Kentucky wouldn’t recruit the same level of talent as Pope uses a different roster approach, but fans were still expecting one five-star per class. Freshmen have taken over college basketball this season, and while Malachi Moreno has been solid, he hasn’t been all that close to the elite level of some of the other freshmen.

Mar 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks to his players from the sideline during the first half against the Florida Gators at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Coach Pope has to start landing some elite freshmen, or he isn’t going to be around all that long. The proven college stars in the portal are great, but as fans have seen this year, one of these sure-fire lottery pick freshmen can single-handedly win a team some games.

If Coach Pope doesn’t end up landing a player in the 2026 class, he will have to rely on the portal or perhaps bringing in Dink Pate to reload this roster for the 2026-27 season. BBN is very frustrated right now with the recruiting.